New collection boxes unveiled on the streets of Shrewsbury

Thu, 4th Feb 2016 2:00pm

Four metal collection boxes are now in place in Shrewsbury town centre - to encourage people to donate money directly to local homelessness charities, rather than giving it to someone begging in the town's streets. Located at Frankwell Footbridge, Pride Hill (outside Tesco Express), The Square (outside The Co-Operative Bank), and Shrewsbury Railway Station (near the car park exit), the blue metal boxes were unveiled today by the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Miles Kenny.

They have been put in place as part of the new Alternative Giving scheme, which is being run by the Team Shrewsbury partnership. The scheme has been introduced as many people who beg are not actually homeless or sleeping rough, and many beg to feed a drug or alcohol habit.

Posters and metal signs to promote and raise awareness of the Alternative Giving scheme have also been put up around the town centre.

The money collected in the boxes will be distributed by Shrewsbury Ark, The Rough Sleepers Task Force Group and Shrewsbury Street Pastors, and 100% of all donations will go to help the homeless and vulnerable individuals in Shrewsbury.

"When you hand some change to a rough sleeper in the street, you probably think you've just helped to provide that person with the means to buy a warm drink or some food.

"What many people don't know is that many rough sleepers are not actually homeless and beg to feed a drug or alcohol habit. Police officers often see rough sleepers with amounts of food and drink, but continuing to ask for money.

"The aim of the Alternative Giving scheme is to highlight what good work can be done if spare change is donated directly to a local homelessness charity.

"The Shrewsbury Alternative Giving scheme will support projects that work with homeless people in the town to help them off the streets. All money given by kind-hearted Shrewsbury residents and visitors will be spent on charitable work to help those in need, instead of going towards alcohol and drugs.

"We want people to change the way they give, and ask them to donate to charities which help the homeless, rather than to people on the street. The message we want to get across is that the best way to help people who beg on the streets of Shrewsbury is to make a donation in one of the new collection boxes rather than giving money directly."